PLASMA ENERGIZATION THROUGH RECONNECTION IN A RELATIVISTIC PLASMA

Reconnection is a universal plasma-physics process which has as one of its main characteristics the energization of plasma through the conve rsion of magnetic field energy. Interest in reconnection is multidisci plinary, and reconnection-associated phenomena are observed in astroph ysical, solar system and laboratory plasmas. However, even though ener gy conversion is studied as a matter of practical interest and much fu ndamental research has been devoted to reconnection, this process has not been exploited very effectively in technological applications. To highlight the potential of reconnection for practical applications, we describe this process from a general point of view and present a theo retical model which is applicable to both non-relativistic and relativ istic plasmas. Relativistic plasmas can be created under laboratory co nditions, and the model predicts that such plasmas could be energized to very high energies. Experiments on reconnection may therefore lead to practical applications, such as hot plasma injectors in fusion reac tors. Furthermore, we suggest that fusion reactors such as the tokamak can be modified so that plasma heating through reconnection is intrin sic to the device.